Outside the window, the sound of rain quietly tapped against the palace glass.

It was their wedding day, but the bells ringing were not for a blessing. They were the bells signaling the end of the war, the bells announcing the day the princess would leave for the victorious nation.

“You must go.”

The maid's trembling voice echoed in the room.

She looked at her reflection in the mirror. A dazzlingly white ceremonial dress, exquisitely embroidered decorations.

To some, it would be the outfit for the happiest day of their lives, but to her, it felt like shackles symbolizing her country's defeat.

A few hours later, at the grand cathedral.

Nobles and knights from both nations watched the two in hushed silence. At the end of the long red carpet stood a man in a black suit.

Chrollo Lucilfer.

He was watching her quietly, unshaken by the commotion around them. His eyes held no joy, no pity, and no sense of superiority.

That composure made her dislike him even more.

Finally, the ceremony ended, and after all the formal greetings were finished, the two were guided to a private drawing room prepared by the royal family.

Silence finally descended as the door closed.